High pressure lamp



July 16, 1963 D. c. JENSEN ETAL 3,098,167

HIGH PRESSURE LAMP Filed Oct. 50. 1961 FIG. I

INV EN TORS DENNIS C JENSEN ERHARD J. MICHEL United States Patent 3,098,167 HIGH PRESSURE LAMP Dennis C. Jensen, 4740 Mount La Platta Drive, San Diego 17, Calif., and Erhard J. Michel, 512 E. 148th St., Bronx 55, N.Y.

Filed Oct. 30, 1961, Ser. No. 148,778

Claims. (Cl. 313-232) (Granted under Title 35, US. Code (1952), see. 266) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

The present invention relates to light sources suitable for use under extremely high pressures and more particularly to a dependable light source for extremely deep submergence vehicles.

In operating a deep submergence vehicle a light source is needed which is dependable, lightweight and will yet withstand the extremely high pressures that are encountered.

Prior attempts to provide illumination under conditions of extremely deep sub-mergence have met with almost uniform failure. One of the firs-t attempts comprised using incandescent lamps in pressure vessels, however, a limit was reached when the pressure vessel enclosing and isolating the incandescent lamp from the outside pressure medium became too heavy, expensive and hard to mount. Another attempt comprised using mercury vapor lamps, however, the mercury vapor lamps require a heat exchange system which is very expensive and, additionally, the mercury vapor lamps do not function as desired. Incandescent filaments in quartz tubes with an atmosphere of krypton therein were also tried, however, again, the light source failed after extremely short use.

An object of the invention is to provide a dependable light source for use under extremely high pressure conditions.

A further object of the invention is to provide a dependable light source for deep submergence vehicles.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a dependable light source for extremely high pressure conditions which is lightweight, inexpensive and easy to mount.

A further object of the invention is to provide a dependable light source for extremely deep submergence vehicles which utilizes easily obtained components.

Various other objects and advantages will appear from the following description of one embodiment of the invention, and the novel features will be particularly pointed out hereinafter in connection with the appended claims.

In order to better understand the invention reference is made to the single FIGURE which shows a cutaway view of the light source for use in a high-pressure medium.

In the embodiment of the invention as set forth in the single figure a thin-walled substantially cylindrical tube 10 of stainless steel is provided which is threaded internally at either end as at 11 and 12. Screwed into the internally threaded portion 12 of cylinder 10 is a socketrnounting member 13 having exterior threads thereon. An O-ring groove 14 is provided in socket-mounting member 13 and O-ring 15 is provided so that when the socketmounting member 18 is screwed into the threaded portion 12 a seal is provided between member 13 and casing 10.

A base 16 is provided having a bayonet socket 17 mounted thereon. A bayonet socket is illustrated, however, it is to be understood that any type mount may be used as desired. The base member 16 is connected to member 13 by the use of screws 18 as shown. Also secured to base 16 by a suitable securing means such as Patented July 16, 1963 cement is a sleeve member 19 extending forwardly of the base and having attached thereto a reflector element 20.

A sealing member 21 having an outer flange 22 thereon is thread-edly inserted into the threaded portion 11 of thin-walled cylinder 10. An O-ring groove 23 having an O-ring 24 therein is provided in the member 21 so that when member 21 is threadedly inserted into the end of the thin-walled cylinder 10 a seal is provided between member 21 and cylinder 10. Member 21 is also provided with an overhanging flange 25 on the inner diameter thereof and a threaded portion 26 rearwardly of the flange 25. Radially outward from the overhanging flange 25 is an O-ring groove 27 having an O-ring 28 mounted therein. In pressure contact with said O-ring and butting against the inner side of outer flange 25 is a lens member 29 which is held in position by a cylindrical retainer ring 30, retainer ring having threads on the outer periphery thereof which is threadedly inserted into the threaded portion 26 of sealing member 21.

A pressure compensating member 31 is also provided and is attached to base-mounting member 13 through the use of screws 32. The pressure compensating member as shown comprises a metal bellows formed of a suitable expansible metal, however, it is to be understood that the pressure compensating member could also be a source of fluid under pressure.

In the present embodiment the source of light energy comprises an incandescent filament 33 and specifically in the present instance comprises a conventional 500 watt lamp wherein the glass envelope surrounding the filament has been removed. The filament and base to which the filament is attached are mounted in the bayonet socket 17.

Rearwardly of the bellows pressure compensating member 31 an insulated feed through 34 is provided through which conductors 35 are introduced to provide power for the incandescent lamp filament 33. The conductors are introduced through the member 34 and are attached to the bayonet socket in a suitable manner, not shown.

The open space within the thin-walled member 110 is filled with a nonconducting medium such as distilled water or Fluoro Chemical FC- made by Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company. FC-75 is described in literature by the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company as a non-flammable and non-corrosive liquid which has excellent electrical properties, i.e., dielectric strength in excess of 35 kv., dielectric constant 1.8 and dissipation factor less than 0.0005. In addition, FC-75 is stable in the presence of metals and other materials of construction at temperatures in excess of 750 F. Further, FC-75 is compatible in that FC-75 undergoes no electrical or chemical change in contact with various materials of construction. The same medium is also pro vided in the pressure compensating member 31 and passageways as at 36 are provided in base 16 so that there is a free flow of the medium between the thin-walled member 10 and the pressure compensating member 31.

The dimensions of the cylinder 10 and the positioning of the elements therein is so arranged that the volume V of the cylinder between the base 16 and the lens member 29 is approximately 15% of the volume V between base 16 and the rear wall of compensating member 31 to provide for proper contraction and expansion of the compensating member 31 upon submergence and emergence.

In operation of the light source as shown, distilled water may be used as the nonconductin-g medium in direct physical contact with the filament 33. The light source may not be energized when using distilled water until a condition of deep submergence exists in that if the light source is energized at the surface the distilled water will boil and produce a pocket within the cylinder 3 which may produce collapse of the thin-walled cylinder under pressure condition. However, no precautions need be taken when the Fluoro Chemical =FC75 is used.

Upon submergence the pressure increases on the entire exterior of the light source. Therefore, the volumes of both V and V would attempt to contract. However, in that V is substantially surrounded by an incompressible metallic chamber while V is surrounded by a substantially flexible diaphragm the pressure compensating member 31 will deform under the outside pressure and will supply fluid to the volume V and maintain cylinder 10 in an undeformed condition.

In this manner a very lightweight, easily mounted, inexpensively formed light source is provided which is .dependable and may be used under extremely high pressure conditions such as those that exist when a deep submergence vehicle is operating.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. A light source suitable for use in a high pressure medium comprising; a housing having a light permeable (opening therein; mounting means in said housing; light producing means removably attached to said mounting means for producing light energy; pressure compensating means attached to said housing and communicating with the interior of said housing; a liquid medium enclosed Within said pressure compensating means and said housing, said pressure compensating means acting to prevent said housing from collapsing at extremely high pressures.

2. A light source as set forth in claim 1 wherein said light permeable opening is a transparent lens to prevent said liquid medium from coming into contact with said outside pressure medium.

3. A light source as set forth in claim 2 wherein said light source comprises an incandescent lamp filament.

4. A light source as set forth in claim 2 wherein said source of light energy comprises an incandescent lamp filament in direct contact with said medium within said housing.

5. A light source as set forth in claim 1 wherein said liquid medium within said housing and pressure compensating means comprises a nonconducting medium.

6. A light source as set forth in claim 5 wherein said nonconducting medium comprises distilled water.

7. A light source for extremely high pressure conditions comprising; a substantially cylindrical housing having an opening at either end; sealing means at one of said either ends which is transparent to light; pressure compensating means attached to said other of said either ends; mounting means removably attached to the inner wall on the inside of said cylindrical housing member; light producing means operatively connected to said mounting means and acting as a source of light energy when energized; nonconducting liquid means filling the interior of said cylindrical housing means and said pressure compensating means for preventing said substantially cylindrical housing from collapsing under extremely high pressure conditions.

8. A light source as set forth in claim 7 wherein said light producing means comprises an incandescent filament in direct contact with said nonconducting liquid means.

9. A light source as set forth in claim 7 wherein said pressure compensating means comprises a flexible bellows means.

10. A light source as set forth in claim 7 wherein said pressure compensating means comprises a source of fluid under pressure.

No references cited. 

1. A LIGHT SOURCE SUITABLE FOR USE IN A HIGH PRESSURE MEDIUM COMPRISING; A HOUSING HAVING A LIGHT PERMEABLE OPENING THEREIN; MOUNTING MEANS IN SAID HOUSING; LIGHT PRODUCING MEANS REMOVABLY ATTACHED TO SAID MOUNTING MEANS FOR PRODUCING LIGHT ENERGY; PRESSURE COMPENSATING MEANS ATTACHED TO SAID HOUSING AND COMMUNICATING WITH THE INTERIOR OF SAID HOUSING; A LIQUID MEDIUM ENCLOSED WITHIN SAID PRESSURE COMPENSATING MEANS AND SAID HOUSIGN, SAID PRESSURE COMPENSATING MEANS ACTING TO PREVENT SAID HOUSING FROM COLLAPSING AT EXTREMELY HIGH PRESSURES. 